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Progressive electronica is a collection of electronic music genres which draw upon progressive music, generally, and include the sub-styles of progressive trance, progressive house, progressive techno and progressive breaks.
All dance music features drum beats that are favourable for DJs that like to beatmatch their records, as it allows them to mix two tunes together with an almost seamless sound to it. The changes and progressions in progressive dance music are relatively subtle. Unlike the obviousness of hard house or Hi-NRG, the peaks and troughs in a track tend to be less obvious. Layering different sound on top of each other and slowly bringing them in and out of the mix is a key idea behind the progressive movement.
Overview
Applying the philosophy of progressive music to electronic dance music, involves taking one particular sound, then, using synthesizers and sequencers, making slight changes to that sound. When applied to a particular style, the finished product is a stylised sound that appears to progress from one state to another.
When discussing progressive electronic styles, the term "progressive' typically refers to the progressive structure (that changes occur incrementally, as in the case of progressive house). The exception is progressive trance, since trance is typically progressive in structure already. Progressive trance usually refers to a type of trance music that's less anthemic or melodic in quality.
Progressive styles
Since about 2000, progressive house and progressive trance have mostly converged, it's very difficult to differentiate one from another. While the faster (130-140bpm), more energetic records can continue to be classified as progressive trance, most producers from both styles has moved towards a softer, slower (110-130bpm) sound, and prefer to be classified as progressive house.
Other styles include progressive tribal, progressive techno, but lines between all these styles are somewhat blurry.
Progressive trance
Progressive trance (sometimes melodic trance) is popular sub-genre in trance music.
It falls has elements of fast techno music and ambient music.
The basic formula of trance became even more focused on the anthemic qualities and melodies, moving away from predictable arppegiated analog synth patterns (aka acid synth lines). Acoustic elements and spacey pads became popular, compositions leaned towards incremental changes (aka progressive structures), sometimes composed in thirds (like Brian Transeau frequently does), buildups and breakdowns became more elaborate and intense. The sound became more and more ethereal and heavenly in sound. This sound came to be known as epic trance (sometimes called melodic trance or anthem trance), and became the foundation of what the modern progressive trance sound is today.
The structure of progressive trance is different to a typical techno track, the introduction generally starts with slower ambient beats, this follows a "breakdown" and the main melody. There are build-ups with faster beats, and the end of the track "outros" maybe fast too but typically slow down towards end of the track. Electronic effects and vocals are usually in both the intro and the coda.
Progressive trance became popular because of the build-ups of beats and sparing use of vocals.
Phrases can be any multiple of 4 bars (4-8-12-16 etc.) in most typical progressive trance tracks. Phrases usually begin with the introduction of a new or different melody, or the introduction of hi-hats to the track. In progressive trance there may be four more simultaneous layers.
Known artists in this electronic music genre include James Holden, Luke Chable, Transa, 4Strings, DJs Sasha and John Digweed. Newer artists include DJ Yan, The Cynic Project and Activewave.
Progressive breaks and progressive house
Progressive breaks artists include: Digital Witchcraft, Momu, Hybrid and progressive house
artists include Leftfield, BT, Steve Porter, however the lines between these progressive styles and progressive trance are less pronounced now that they were originally.
Psychedelic progressive (psy-progressive)
Psychedelic progressive is the progressive form of psychedelic trance. Some see it as the evolution of minimalist trance. Some of the most important artists are: Son Kite, Krueger & Coyle , Vibrasphere, Sensient and Krumelur. Contrary to mainstream progressive trance, psy-progressive is usually not as uplifting. It puts more focus on the sound production and not on melody. The structure is not well-defined as in most other styles of progressive trance.
Artists and labels
DJs who play progressive sounds include:
Progressive music producers:
Progressive record labels include:
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